New Jets wide receiver Eric Decker: ‘New Jersey’s underrated’

Eric Decker did his very best to ingratiate himself to the locals on Friday when he was introduced as the newest member of the New York Jets.

Decker, who claims he never received an offer from the Denver Broncos, signed a five-year, $36.25 million deal with the team, and stated that while meeting Rex Ryan and spending time at the team’s facility on Wednesday helped sway him to sign on with Gang Green, one perhaps overlooked aspect of becoming a member of the Jets certainly helped: New Jersey.

Decker, a Minnesota native, growing up in outstate Cold Spring, played college football in the Twin Cities for the Gophers before he was drafted in the third round by the Broncos, so he also pointed out that the cosmopolitan allure of the bright lights of the big city also intrigued him, referring to New York as “the biggest, the best city in the country.”

But ultimately, Decker says he picked the Jets because of what the team could offer, and he wasn’t technically speaking in monetary terms.

“Honestly, my priority when I went on the visit was football,” Decker said. “I wanted to do what’s best for me as a football player, and this organization offered that.”

The majestic beauty and wondrous splendor of New Jersey didn’t hurt, either. And while it is true that New Jersey likely is just as beautiful as any other state in the country, it’s strange to hear someone say it. Unfortunately, Jersey just never has had that reputation, fair or not.